“Building Permits” are permits pulled from Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department since 2014 for Alterations, Repairs, and New Builds. - Gray

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Tracker is updated daily at 5am.

Here are some key facts about the city's demolition program:

More than $90 million in demolition contracts have been awarded to Detroit-based and Detroit-headquartered businesses, more than $25 million of which has been awarded to minority-owned businesses. And more federal funding is on the way.

The U.S. EPA has recognized the high environmental standards used by the City of Detroit, saying, “Having completed a major overhaul of the demolition process, Detroit’s new demolition practices balance speed, cost and environmental performance.” (September 8, 2014)

Since 2014, Detroit has taken down vacant buildings in neighborhoods across the city. If we keep this pace, we can remove 40,000 blighted structures in about eight years, instead of the 30 years it would have taken us at our previous rate.

A recent study shows that Detroit's approach of strategically clustering demolitions in target areas has resulted in an increase in property values in those areas.

The majority of demolition work in Detroit is funded through federal Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) dollars, which can be spent only in federally-approved areas of the city. Under this program, Detroit can demolish publicly-owned residential buildings (four units or fewer) that are in poor or structurally-deficient condition, and are negatively impacting neighborhoods.

The City also conducts emergency demolitions of privately-owned residential buildings if Detroit building officials determine they pose an immediate threat to public safety, as well as the demolition of vacant and dangerous commercial structures.

Federally-designated boundaries determine where we can do the vast majority of our demolition.

The vast majority of all demolitions by the city is done using federal Hardest Hit Funds (HHF), which, by law, can be spent only in federally-designated areas of the city. This map shows the HHF zones where the city currently can spend its federal allocation of money. The city is constantly pursuing additional federal funds to allow it to further expand these HHF zones to include more neighborhoods.

The Nuisance Abatement Program (NAP) boundaries indicate areas where the city has taken legal action against the owners of vacant properties to compel them to either fix up the house within six months, or transfer the title to the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA), which will put them on a track for either auction or demolition, depending on the property's condition. Federal HHF funds can be used only on structures owned by the DLBA.